Exercise support device, exercise support method, and exercise support program

ABSTRACT

In an exercise support device of the present invention, acceleration signals in three axis directions including vertical, longitudinal, and lateral directions corresponding to the motion of a user performing exercise of cyclically moving feet are obtained, and a first maximum value in one cycle of a foot movement in the vertical acceleration signal is obtained. Subsequently, a search is made for first and second change points related to foot landing and takeoff motions in a composite acceleration signal obtained by combining acceleration signals in at least two axis directions, in forward and backward directions of the time point of a second maximum value of the composite acceleration signal, within the cycle. Then, a time period between the first and second change points is obtained as a change point interval, and a foot landing period while exercising is calculated based on the first maximum value and the change point interval.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-193729, filed Sep. 19,2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exercise support device, an exercisesupport method, and an exercise support program. Specifically, thepresent invention relates to an exercise support device, an exercisesupport method, and an exercise support program by which the motionstatus (exercise status) of a human body at the time of exercise can beprecisely grasped to be determined and improved.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, because of rising health consciousness and risinginterest in participation in races, more and more people are performingdaily exercises, such as running, walking, and cycling, to maintaintheir wellness, improve their health condition, or participate in races.

These people are very conscious of and interested in measuring variousbiological information and exercise information and recording themeasurement results in order to grasp their own health conditions andexercise status and achieve efficient and effective training.

As an item to be measured for the above-described purposes, a footlanding period and a foot lifting period while exercising (whilerunning) have been conventionally known.

Here, the foot landing period can serve as, for example, a guideline forestimating the fatigued state of a human body or a guideline forrecognizing whether the way of running such as “pitch running” or“stride running” is being appropriately performed. Also, it is possibleto calculate a gait, a moving speed, a travelling distance, an energyconsumption amount, and the like based on this foot landing period.

As a method for calculating a foot landing period while exercising,various methods have been proposed. In one of these methods, a forceplate, which is a mechanical measurement device, is stepped whilerunning, and a foot landing period is calculated from a period of timein which force is exerted. In another method, a foot landing period iscalculated from moving images captured by a high-speed camera. In stillanother method, a foot landing period is estimated by a motion sensorbeing worn on a foot.

For example, the average value of foot landing periods can also becalculated by positive and negative spikes representing an instant whena foot of the user lands on the ground and an instant when the foot ofthe user takes off from the ground being detected based on a signalwaveform obtained by an accelerometer while exercising and a timeinterval between these spikes being measured, as described in JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No 2009-160392.

Among the various methods for calculating a foot landing period, a footlanding period can be relatively accurately calculated in the methodusing a force plate and the method using a high-speed camera. However,devices for these methods are bulky and expensive. Therefore, they areavailable only in part of educational or gymnastic organizations, andcannot be used by ordinary people. Also, these devices can obtain dataof only several footsteps within a narrow range where the force plate isinstalled or the range of the imaging field of the high-speed camera.

On the other hand, the method where a motion sensor is worn on a foot isadvantageous in that information regarding lower limbs can beexclusively obtained. However, other information such as the motionstatus of the upper body and a heart rate while exercising cannot besimultaneously obtained. Accordingly, when these pieces of informationare to be acquired, a sensor or the like has to be further worn on adifferent body part.

Also, according to verification by the inventor, in the calculationmethod of the above-described technique based on acceleration data, footlanding timing and takeoff timing cannot be precisely detected andtherefore foot landing periods cannot be accurately calculated. Thisverification result will be specifically described in embodimentsdescribed further below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide an exercise support device, anexercise support method, and an exercise support program by which a footlanding period while exercising is precisely estimated and the user isprovided with support information that can be used to grasp, judge, andimprove the user's own exercise status, with a simple structure.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an exercise support device comprising: an accelerationmeasuring section which obtains acceleration signals in three axisdirections including a vertical direction, a longitudinal direction, anda lateral direction corresponding to a motion of a body of a userperforming exercise of cyclically moving feet; a vertical accelerationmaximum value obtaining section which obtains a first maximum valuewithin a period of one cycle of a foot movement of the user in anacceleration signal in the vertical direction obtained by theacceleration measuring section; a signal processing section whichsearches for a first change point related to foot landing and takeoffmotions of the user in a composite acceleration signal obtained bycombining acceleration signals in at least two of the three axisdirections, in a forward direction of a time point of a second maximumvalue of the composite acceleration signal, and a second change pointrelated to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user in the compositeacceleration signal, in a backward direction of the time point of thesecond maximum value, within the period of one cycle; and a landingperiod calculating section which obtains a period of time between thefirst change point and the second change point as a change pointinterval, when the first change point and the second change point aredetected by search in the signal processing section, and calculates afoot landing period of the user during the exercise based on the firstmaximum value of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction andthe change point interval.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an exercise support method comprising: a step of obtainingacceleration signals in three axis directions including a verticaldirection, a longitudinal direction, and a lateral directioncorresponding to a motion of a body of a user performing exercise ofcyclically moving feet; a step of obtaining a first maximum value withina period of one cycle of a foot movement of the user in an accelerationsignal in the vertical direction; a step of searching for a first changepoint related to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user in acomposite acceleration signal obtained by combining acceleration signalsin at least two of the three axis directions, in a forward direction ofa time point of a second maximum value of the composite accelerationsignal, and a second change point related to foot landing and takeoffmotions of the user in the composite acceleration signal, in a backwarddirection of the time point of the second maximum value, within theperiod of one cycle; and a step of obtaining a period of time betweenthe first change point and the second change point as a change pointinterval, when the first change point and the second change point aredetected in the step of searching for the first change point and thesecond change point, and calculating a foot landing period of the userduring the exercise based on the first maximum value of the accelerationsignal in the vertical direction and the change point interval.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereonan exercise support program that is executable by a computer, theprogram being executable by the computer to perform functionscomprising: processing for obtaining acceleration signals in three axisdirections including a vertical direction, a longitudinal direction, anda lateral direction corresponding to a motion of a body of a userperforming exercise of cyclically moving feet; processing for obtaininga first maximum value within a period of one cycle of a foot movement ofthe user in an acceleration signal in the vertical direction processingfor searching for a first change point related to foot landing andtakeoff motions of the user in a composite acceleration signal obtainedby combining acceleration signals in at least two of the three axisdirections, in a forward direction of a time point of a second maximumvalue of the composite acceleration signal, and a second change pointrelated to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user in the compositeacceleration signal, in a backward direction of the time point of thesecond maximum value, within the period of one cycle; and processing forobtaining a period of time between the first change point and the secondchange point as a change point interval, when the first change point andthe second change point are detected in the processing for searching forthe first change point and the second change point, and calculating afoot landing period of the user during the exercise based on the firstmaximum value of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction andthe change point interval.

The above and further objects and novel features of the presentinvention will more fully appear from the following detailed descriptionwhen the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Itis to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of thelimits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are schematic diagrams showing an example where anexercise support device according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention has been worn on a human body;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of theexercise support device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example of an exercise support method to beperformed for the exercise support device according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of a method for estimating a footlanding period, which is applied to the exercise support methodaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of processing for obtaining themaximum value of an acceleration signal in a vertical direction, whichis applied to the landing period estimation method according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a signal waveform diagram of an example of accelerationsignals in three axis directions obtained by the exercise support methodaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing the processing for obtaining themaximum value of an acceleration signal in a vertical direction, whichis applied to the landing period estimation method according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example of processing for obtaining anextreme value interval, which is applied to the landing periodestimation method according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for describing the processing for obtaining anextreme value interval, which is applied to the landing periodestimation method according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are diagrams showing a relation between a footlanding period (actual foot landing period) found based on groundreaction force and vertical acceleration;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a relation between a foot landing periodcalculated in the first embodiment and an actual foot landing period;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing an exercise support deviceaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example of an exercise support method to beperformed for the exercise support device according to the secondembodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an example of processing for correcting theaxes of acceleration signals, which is applied to the exercise supportmethod according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a signal waveform diagram of an example of accelerationsignals in three axis directions corrected by the processing forcorrecting the axes of acceleration signals according to the secondembodiment;

FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B are schematic diagrams of an exercise supportdevice according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are functional block diagrams each showing astructural example of a chest device to be applied to the exercisesupport device according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of anotifying device to be applied to the exercise support device accordingto the third embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of an example of an exercise support method to beperformed for the exercise support device according to the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram of an exercise support device accordingto a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of aninformation processing device to be applied to the exercise supportdevice according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of anetwork server to be applied to the exercise support device according tothe fourth embodiment; and

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of an example of an exercise support method to beperformed for the exercise support device according to the fourthembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter, an exercise support device, an exercise support method, andan exercise support program according to the present invention aredescribed in detail with reference to the drawings.

Note that, although embodiments described below are provided withvarious technically-preferable limitations in order to carry out thepresent invention, these limitations are not intended to limit the scopeof the present invention to the embodiments and examples shown in thedrawings.

First Embodiment Exercise Support Device

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are schematic diagrams showing an example where anexercise support device according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention has been worn on a human body.

Here, FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a state where the exercisesupport device according to the present embodiment has been worn on thehuman body, when viewed from a front (chest) side.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a state where the exercise supportdevice according to the present embodiment has been worn on the humanbody, when viewed from a left arm side.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of theexercise support device according to the present embodiment.

Here, for convenience of explanation, exchanges of signals and dataamong functional blocks are depicted to be simultaneously performed.However, in practice, exchanges of signals and data are performed asneeded based on an exercise support method described below.

The exercise support device according to the first embodiment includes,for example, a chest-mount-type sensor device (hereinafter referred toas a “chest device” for convenience of explanation) which is worn on thechest of a user US who is a measurement subject, as shown in FIG. 1A andFIG. 1B.

The chest device 100 mainly includes, for example, a device body 101that detects the exercise status and biological information of the userUS and provides predetermined exercise support information, and a beltsection 102 that is wound around the chest of the user US so that thedevice body 101 is worn on the user US, as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

Specifically, the chest device 100 (device body 101) mainly includes,for example, an acceleration measuring section 110, a computationprocessing circuit 120, a storage section 130, an operation switch 140,a notifying section 150, and an operating power supply 160, as shown inFIG. 2.

The acceleration measuring section 110 measures the ratio of change inmotion speed while the user is exercising (running exercise).

In the present embodiment, the acceleration measuring section 110, whichhas a triaxial acceleration sensor, detects acceleration components inthree axis directions orthogonal to one another, and outputs thedetection results as acceleration signals (acceleration data).

This acceleration measuring section 110 detects acceleration componentsin a vertical direction (gravity direction), a longitudinal direction(forward and backward direction at the time of exercise), and a lateraldirection (an extending direction of left and right arms in thedrawings), as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.

The acceleration signals in the respective directions obtained by theacceleration measuring section 110 are associated with time datagenerated in the computation processing circuit 120, stored in apredetermined storage area of the storage section 130, and used inprocessing for estimating a foot landing period in the computationprocessing circuit 120 (signal processing section 124).

The computation processing circuit 120 is a computation processingdevice, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro ProcessingUnit) having a timing function, and includes a control section 122, asignal processing section (a vertical acceleration maximum valueobtaining section, an extreme value interval obtaining section, and alanding period calculating section) 124, and a judging section 126.

The control section 122 performs processing in accordance with apredetermined control program based on a predetermined operation clock,and thereby controls operations in the respective sections in the devicebody 101, such as a sensing operation in the acceleration measuringsection 110, operations for storing and reading various data in and fromthe storage section 130, and a notifying operation in the notifyingsection 150, so as to achieve a predetermined function.

The signal processing section 124 performs processing in accordance witha predetermined algorithm program based on a predetermined operationclock, and thereby obtains, for each cycle (one footstep) in cyclicmotions of feet while exercising, a maximum value (P) of an accelerationsignal in the vertical direction and an interval between change points(change point interval, extreme value interval: W) related to footlanding and takeoff in composite acceleration signals in the verticaldirection and the longitudinal direction.

Based on these feature amounts, the signal processing section 124calculates (estimates) a foot landing period by using a predeterminedformula. The foot landing period calculated by the signal processingsection 124 is stored in a predetermined storage area of the storagesection 130.

The judging section 126 performs analysis processing for comparing afoot landing period calculated by the signal processing section 124with, for example, a numerical value range set in advance.

For example, based on a calculated foot landing period, the judgingsection 126 obtains various exercise information related to the footlanding period (for example, a fatigued state, the way of running, amoving speed, and an energy consumption amount) and judges theappropriateness of the exercise information.

Then, based on these judgment results, the judging section 126 outputs anotification signal for controlling the operation of the notifyingsection 150, and stores the judgment results in a predetermined storagearea of the storage section 130.

The storage section 130 has a non-volatile memory, and stores anacceleration signal obtained by the acceleration measuring section 110in a predetermined storage area in association with time data.

This storage section 130 temporarily stores various data that are usedwhen processing is performed in the above-described computationprocessing circuit 120 in accordance with a predetermined controlprogram or algorithm program, or generated when processing is performedin accordance with the program.

In addition, the storage section 130 stores, in a predetermined storagearea, a foot landing period obtained by the above-described signalprocessing section 124 performing processing in accordance with thepredetermined algorithm program, various exercise information related tothe foot landing period, and results of the judgment of the exerciseinformation.

Here, the storage section 130 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) or aflash memory to store the control program or algorithm program to beexecuted in the above-described computation processing circuit 120.

Note that a non-volatile memory portion constituting the storage section130 may be partially or entirely in a form of a removable storage mediumsuch as a memory card, and may be structured to be removable from thechest device 100.

The operation switch 140 includes at least a power supply switch. By theuser US operating the operation switch 140, driving electric power to besupplied from the operating power supply 160 to each section in thedevice body 101 is supplied or interrupted to control ON (start) and OFF(stop) of the power supply of the chest device.

Note that a structure may be adopted in which the operation switch 140includes a sensor control switch and the start or end of a sensingoperation in the acceleration measuring section 110 is controlled by theuser US operating the operation switch 140.

Also note that a structure may be adopted in which the operation switch140 includes only the power supply switch, and a sensing operation inthe acceleration measuring section 110 is started by the user USoperating the operation switch 140 to turn the power supply of thedevice body 101 ON (start the power supply), and ended by the powersupply of the device body 101 being turned OFF (stopping the powersupply).

The notifying section (information providing section) 150 has, forexample, a vibrating section 152 and an acoustic section 154, andgenerates predetermined vibration information and sound informationbased on a notification signal from the computation processing circuit120 (judging section 126) so as to notify the user US of exercisesupport information.

The vibrating section 152 has a vibrating device (vibrator) such as avibration motor or oscillator and, by generating vibration informationsuch as a predetermined vibration pattern or its magnitude, tactuallyprovides or reports various information to the user US.

The acoustic section 154 has an acoustic device such as a buzzer orloudspeaker. By generating sound information such as a predeterminedtimbre, a sound pattern, or a voice message, the acoustic section 154aurally provides or reports various information to the user US.

Note that the notifying section 150 may include both of the vibratingsection 152 and the acoustic section 154, or may include only one ofthem.

The operating power supply 160 supplies driving electric power to eachsection of the chest device 100 (device body 101). As the operatingpower supply 160, for example, a primary battery such as acommercially-available coin-shaped battery or button-shaped battery or asecondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or anickel-metal-hydride battery can be used.

In addition to these primary battery and secondary battery, it ispossible to apply a power supply by an energy harvest technology forgenerating electricity by energy such as vibrations, light, heat, andelectro-magnetic waves, as the operating power supply 160.

(Exercise Support Method)

Next, an exercise support method for the exercise support deviceaccording to the present embodiment is described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example of the exercise support method to beperformed for the exercise support device according to the presentembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of a method for estimating a footlanding period, which is applied to the exercise support methodaccording to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example of processing for obtaining themaximum value of an acceleration signal in a vertical direction, whichis applied to the landing period estimation method according to thepresent embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a signal waveform diagram of an example of accelerationsignals in three axis directions obtained by the exercise support methodaccording to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing the processing for obtaining themaximum value of an acceleration signal in a vertical direction, whichis applied to the landing period estimation method according to thepresent embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example of processing for obtaining anextreme value interval, which is applied to the landing periodestimation method according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for describing the processing for obtaining anextreme value interval, which is applied to the landing periodestimation method according to the first embodiment.

In the exercise support method according to the present embodiment,first, the user US operates the operation switch 140 of the chest device100 mounted on the body, whereby the chest device 100 is powered ON tobe activated (Step S101), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, forexample.

Then, the acceleration measuring section 110 of the chest device 100starts a sensing operation. As a result, acceleration components inthree axis directions while the user is exercising (while running) isdetected and collected as acceleration signals (represented by “sensordata” in the drawing). These collected acceleration signals are storedas needed in a predetermined storage area of the storage section 130 inassociation with time data (Step S102).

Note that the sensing operation in the acceleration measuring section110 may be performed intermittently or continuously.

Next, based on the collected acceleration signals, the signal processingsection 124 of the computation processing circuit 120 performsprocessing in accordance with a predetermined algorithm program, andthereby performs processing for estimating a foot landing period asdescribed below (Step S103).

Specifically, in the landing period estimation processing, the signalprocessing section 124 performs processing for obtaining the maximumvalue of vertical acceleration (Step Sill), processing for obtaining anextreme value interval (Step S112), and landing period calculationprocessing (Steps S113, S114 and S115), as shown in the flowchart ofFIG. 4.

(Processing for Obtaining Maximum Value of Vertical Acceleration)

In the processing for obtaining the maximum value of verticalacceleration, specifically, the signal processing section 124 firstextracts and obtains, from the collected acceleration signals in thethree axis directions, an acceleration signal in the vertical directionfor one cycle (one footstep) in the cyclic motion of a feet whileexercising (Step S121), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5.

As a method for extracting an acceleration signal for one cycle (onefootstep), for example, the following method can be adopted.

Generally, it is known that, in a running motion such as a runningexercise, an acceleration signal in a vertical direction, such as thatamong the acceleration signals (raw data) in the three axis directionsobtained by the acceleration measuring section 110, particularly shows acyclic signal waveform for each footstep of left and right feet, asshown in an upper portion of FIG. 6.

Accordingly, by setting a specific base point in the signal waveform ofthe acceleration signal in the vertical direction, an accelerationsignal for one footstep of the right foot or the left foot can be cutout (extracted).

Note that the acceleration signals in the three axis directions in FIG.6 have been provided with the annotations “right foot” and “left foot”in accordance with the cycles of the signal waveforms, so as to explaineach signal waveform for each footstep of the right foot or the leftfoot. However, the order of the right foot and the left foot may bereversed.

In the present embodiment, for example, a method can be used in which acyclically appearing time period (for example, average time) betweenmaximum values of an acceleration signal in a vertical direction isdefined as one cycle, the time point of each maximum value is taken as acenter (base point), and an acceleration signal for each half cycle inthe forward and backward directions (+ direction and − direction) of thetime axis is extracted.

An example of the signal waveform of the obtained vertical accelerationsignal for one cycle is represented by a dotted line S1 in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, one cycle is 0.30 seconds, and a signal waveform for onecycle is shown which has been acquired by an acceleration signal in therange of a half time of one cycle (0.15 seconds) in each of the forwarddirection and the backward direction of a time axis being extracted witha time point (0.15 seconds) where vertical acceleration substantiallyhas a maximum value as a base point.

At Step S122, the signal processing section 124 applies a moving-averagefilter of a predetermined size to the acceleration signal in thevertical direction for one cycle obtained at Step S121 (Step S122).

Here, the moving-average filter is applied to the acceleration signal onthe basis of verification results that an actual foot landing period ismore reflected when the acceleration of a movement average value for acertain amount of time period is taken into consideration rather thanthe acceleration of a certain instant (a short time period).

The optimum value of the size of the moving-average filter to be appliedherein varies depending on each user. However, according to verificationby the inventor, favorable results are obtained by a filter of a sizefrom, when the length of one cycle (length from the time when one footlands to the time when the other foot lands) is taken as 1, 0.2 to 0.4being applied.

An example of the signal waveform of the acceleration signal in thevertical direction to which the above-described moving-average filterhas been applied is represented by a solid line S2 in FIG. 7.

At Step S123, the signal processing section 124 obtains a maximum value(P) of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction to which themoving-average filter has been applied by Step S122 (Step S123), asshown in FIG. 7.

The obtained maximum value (P) of the acceleration signal is stored in apredetermined storage area of the storage section 130, and then theabove-described processing for obtaining the maximum value of thevertical acceleration ends.

(Processing for Obtaining Extreme Value Interval)

Next, in the processing for obtaining an extreme value interval,specifically, the signal processing section 124 first extracts andobtains acceleration signals in the three axis directions for one cycle(one footstep) from the collected acceleration signals in the three axisdirections (Step S131), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8.

As a method for extracting acceleration signals for one cycle (onefootstep), for example, a method equivalent to that at Step S121described above can be adopted.

An example of the signal waveform of a vertical acceleration signal forone cycle extracted as described above is represented by a rough dotline S3 in FIG. 9, and an example of the signal waveform of alongitudinal acceleration signal extracted as described above isrepresented by a fine dot line S4 in FIG. 9.

At Step S132, the signal processing section 124 combines theacceleration signal in the vertical direction (vertical acceleration)and the acceleration signal in the longitudinal direction (longitudinalacceleration) among the acceleration signals in the three axisdirections for one cycle obtained at Step S131 so as to generate acomposite acceleration (Step S132).

Specifically, the signal processing section 124 generates a compositeacceleration based on the following Equation (1).

Composite acceleration=((vertical acceleration)²+(longitudinalacceleration)²)^(1/2)  (1)

An example of the signal waveform of the generated compositeacceleration signal is represented by a solid line S5 in FIG. 9.

Next, the signal processing section 124 obtains a maximum value (Q) ofthe composite acceleration signal generated at Step S132, and a timepoint (maximum point: V) at which the composite acceleration signal hasthe maximum value (Step S133), as shown in FIG. 9.

The obtained maximum value (Q) of the composite acceleration signal andthe time point (maximum point: V) at that time are stored in apredetermined storage area of the storage section 130.

Next, by multiplying the maximum value (Q) obtained at Step S133 by apredetermined coefficient, the signal processing section 124 determinesa threshold for use in processing for searching for a change pointregarding foot landing and takeoff (Step S134).

According to verification by the inventor, favorable results can beobtained here by the coefficient being set at a value around 0.2.

The value of this coefficient is not limited to 0.2, and can be set asneeded depending on various conditions. For example, an arbitrary valuecan be selected as the coefficient from a predetermined range ofnumerical values including a specific center location, or a fixed valueset in advance may be used.

Then, the signal processing section 124 searches for first minimumvalues (change points: M1 and M2) of the composite acceleration signalwhich are each equal to or smaller than the above-described threshold inforward and backward directions on the time axis, with the time point(maximum point: V) of the maximum value (Q) obtained at Step S133 as abase point (Step S135), as shown in FIG. 9.

The minimum values to be searched for correspond to change pointsregarding foot landing and takeoff in the composite acceleration signalfor one cycle (one footstep).

According to verification by the inventor, by minimum values searchedfor as described above being applied as change points regarding footlanding and takeoff motions, an extremely high correlation can be foundbetween an estimated foot landing period and an actual foot landingperiod, as described in verification of operations and effects describedbelow (refer to FIG. 11).

In the present embodiment, a method has been described in which athreshold obtained by multiplying the maximum value (Q) of the compositeacceleration signal by the predetermined coefficient is used to searchfor minimum values of the composite acceleration signal. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto, and change points regardingfoot landing and takeoff motions in the composite acceleration signalmay be searched for by using another method.

At Step S136, the signal processing section 124 judges whether minimumvalues of the composite acceleration signal have been found by thissearch at two paired areas in both forward and backward directions onthe time axis, with the maximum position (V) as a base point (StepS136).

Here, when judged that minimum values have not been found in the forwardand backward directions on the time axis, the signal processing section124 ends the above-described processing for obtaining an extreme valueinterval.

On the other hand, when judged that minimum values M1 and M2) have beenfound in the forward and backward directions on the time axis as shownin FIG. 9, the signal processing section 124 obtains an extreme valueinterval (change point interval, W), which is a difference between thetwo minimum values (M1 and M2) (Step S137).

The obtained extreme value interval (W) of the composite accelerationsignal is stored in a predetermined storage area of the storage section130, and then the above-described processing for obtaining the extremevalue interval ends.

In the processing for obtaining an extreme value interval in the presentembodiment, a composite acceleration signal formed of accelerationsignals in vertical and longitudinal directions from among accelerationsignals in three axis directions are used to obtain an extreme valueinterval.

This is based on verification by the inventor that minimum values can besearched for and obtained most stably with the use of a combination ofacceleration signals in vertical and longitudinal directions.

Here, this combination of acceleration signals in a plurality of axisdirections may include an acceleration signal in a lateral direction.However, the acceleration in the lateral direction tends tosignificantly vary among individuals and may not reflect an actual footlanding period. Therefore, it has been excluded from targets forcomposite acceleration.

However, in some cases, the acceleration signal in the lateral directionmay reflect an actual foot landing period, depending on the way ofrunning of the user US who is a measurement target, etc.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the combination of accelerationsignals to be applied to the processing for obtaining an extreme valueinterval is not limited, and a composite acceleration signal includingacceleration signal in two or more axis directions can be applied.

(Landing Period Calculation Processing)

Next, in the landing period calculation processing, specifically, thesignal processing section 124 first judges whether an extreme valueinterval (W) has been obtained in the processing for obtaining anextreme value interval at Step S112 (Step S113), as shown in theflowchart of FIG. 4, for example.

When judged that an extreme value interval (W) has been obtained, thesignal processing section 124 calculates a foot landing period by thefollowing Equation (2) (first formula) based on coefficients a1, b1, andc1 and the maximum value (P) and the extreme value interval (W) of theacceleration signal in the vertical direction (Step S114).

Foot landing period=a1×maximum value of vertical acceleration+b1×extremevalue interval+c1×maximum value of vertical acceleration×extreme valueinterval  (2)

In Equation (2) above, when the unit of the foot landing period and theextreme value interval is set as [second] and the unit of the maximumvalue (P) of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction is set as[m/s²], optimum values of the coefficients a1, b1, and c1 when 360samples of twelve different test subjects are used are represented asfollows.

a1=0.0070 (0.0063 to 0.0158)

b1=1.5270 (1.4584 to 1.8768)

c1=−0.0746 (−0.1404 to −0.0688)

Here, numerical values in parentheses in each of the coefficients a1,b1, and c1 indicate a range of an optimum value for each of these twelvetest subjects.

Normally, the signs of the coefficients a1 and b1 are positive, and thesign of the coefficient c1 is negative.

The units of the respective coefficients a1, b1, and c1 vary. Thecoefficient a1 has a unit by which the unit of [a1× maximum value ofvertical acceleration] is time, b1 has a unit by which the unit of [b1×extreme value internal] is time, and c1 has a unit by which the unit of[c1× maximum value of vertical acceleration× extreme value interval] istime.

The test subjects for deriving the above-described coefficients a1, b1,and c1 are people enthusiastic about participating in competitions, suchas those who have full-marathon experiences and those who are aiming toparticipate in marathon races.

By contrast, in the case of people not aiming to participate in marathonraces, beginning runners (beginners), etc., coefficients withappropriate numerical values are applied based on their skill levels,running characteristics, physical strengths, and the like.

Accordingly, plural types of coefficients, such as a beginner mode and arace mode, may be prepared in advance, and the coefficients forcalculating a foot landing period may be switched as needed based on theuser's skill level, running characteristics, physical strength, and thelike.

Equation (2) can be transformed into the following Equation (3),

Foot landing period=b1×extreme value interval+maximum value of verticalacceleration×(c1×extreme value interval+a1)  (3)

In the range of the numeral values of the coefficients a1, b1, and c1described above, the first term (b1× extreme value interval) in Equation(3) is always larger than an actual foot landing period, and the secondterm (maximum value of vertical acceleration× (c1× extreme valueinterval+a1)) always has a negative value.

The reason for this is assumed that the foot landing period and theacceleration in the vertical direction tend to move oppositely. That is,when the foot landing period is short, the acceleration in the verticaldirection is large, and the extreme value interval (W) is adjusted bythese movements in opposite directions.

At Step S113, when judged an extreme value interval (W) has not beenobtained, the signal processing section 124 calculates a foot landingperiod by the following Equation (4) (second formula) based on acoefficient a2 and the maximum value (P) of the acceleration signal inthe vertical direction (Step S115).

Foot landing period=a2×(1/maximum value of vertical acceleration)  (4)

In Equation (4) above, when the unit of the foot landing period is setas [second] and the unit of the maximum value (P) of the accelerationsignal in the vertical direction is set as [m/s²], an optimum value ofthe coefficient a2 when 360 samples of twelve different test subjectsare used is represented as follows, as with the above-described case.

a2=0.0169 (0.0109 to 0.0267)

Here, numerical values in parentheses in the coefficient a2 indicate therange of an optimum value for each of these twelve test subjects.

In this case as well, the landing period and the vertical accelerationtend to move oppositely.

The coefficient a2 has a unit by which [a2× (1/maximum value of verticalacceleration)] is time.

According to the inventor's verification regarding foot landing periodscalculated (estimated) as described above, the foot landing periodcalculated at Step S114 (by use of Equation (2) or Equation (3))reflects an actual foot landing period more than the foot landing periodcalculated at Step S115 (by use of Equation (4)).

Next, returning to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the computation processingcircuit 120 performs analysis processing on the foot landing periodcalculated in the landing period estimation processing (Step S103) (StepS104).

Specifically, for example, the judging section 126 of the computationprocessing circuit 120 analyzes the calculated foot landing perioditself to judged whether the foot landing period does not exceed areference value (or a reference range) set in advance, and analyzes tojudge whether a predetermined or more amount of change has occurred inan average value of foot landing periods obtained while exercising.

The judging section 126 compares various exercise information (forexample, a fatigued state, the way of running, a moving speed, and anenergy consumption amount) derived based on the calculated foot landingperiods with a reference value (or a reference range) set in advance,and thereby determines the appropriateness of these pieces of exerciseinformation.

Then, when the foot landing periods and the various exercise informationindicate a specific state (for example, an abnormal state) as a resultof these analyses, the judging section 126 generates a notificationsignal based on the judgment results and outputs the notification signalto the notifying section 150.

The analysis data and the judgment results generated in theabove-described analysis processing are stored in a predeterminedstorage area of the storage section 130.

Next, the notifying section 150 generates predetermined vibrationinformation and sound information based on the notification signaloutputted from the computation processing circuit 120, and notifies theuser US of the judgment results of the analysis processing describedabove (in particular, an abnormal state) as exercise support information(Step S105).

As a result, the exercise support information is tactually and aurallyprovided to the user US, whereby the user US can unfailingly recognizethe foot landing periods and the change or abnormality of the variousexercise information on a substantially real-time basis whileexercising.

Next, the control section 122 of the computation processing circuit 120judges whether to end the above-described series of processing (StepS106).

Specifically, the control section 122 of the computation processingcircuit 120 judges, for example, whether the user US has turned thechest device 100 OFF or whether the user US has performed an operationfor stopping the sensing operation in the acceleration measuring section110 (whether a device stop instruction has been provided).

When judged that a device stop instruction has not been provided, thecontrol section 122 returns to Step S102 and repeatedly performs theseries of processing of the exercise support method described above(Steps S102 to S105).

Conversely, when judged that a device stop instruction has beenprovided, the control section 122 ends the above-described exercisesupport method.

(Operations and Effects)

Next, operations and effects of the above-described exercise supportdevice and exercise support method are verified.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are diagrams showing a relation between a footlanding period (actual foot landing period) found based on groundreaction force by use of a force plate and acceleration in a verticaldirection.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a relation between a foot landing periodcalculated in the present embodiment and an actual foot landing period.

As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, ground reaction force obtained using aforce plate indicates a value of substantially zero when the user who isa measurement target is not on the force plate (that is, the weight ofthe user has not been exerted on the force plate), and indicates a forceadded in each axis direction when the user is on the force plate (thatis, the weight has been exerted on the force plate).

In FIG. 10A, a force exerted in a vertical direction is shown. Here, thetime when ground reaction force exceeds a predetermined value (here, 0[N]) from the vicinity of zero is defined as foot landing timing, andthe time when the ground reaction force goes below the predeterminedvalue is defined as foot takeoff timing. Also, a time between theselanding timing and takeoff timing is defined as a foot landing period.

On the other hand, an acceleration signal in a vertical directionobtained by the acceleration measuring section 110 included in the chestdevice 100 worn on the chest is represented by a signal waveform such asthat shown in FIG. 10B. This signal waveform tends to change in a mannersimilar to that of the ground reaction force of FIG. 10A as a whole.

However, when these are verified in detail, the signal waveforms areconfirmed to have a significant difference particularly at time pointscorresponding to the foot landing and the foot takeoff. The reason forthis is assumed that a plurality of joints and muscles intervene betweenthe foot landing on the ground and the chest where the chest device 100(acceleration measuring section 110) has been worn, and the forcereceived on the sole is dispersed in the course of transmission to thechest via these joints and the like, or changed due to another forceexternally added.

Accordingly, accurate calculation (estimation) of (estimate) a footlanding period based on the above-described definitions by use of onlyan acceleration signal measured at the chest is difficult.

Thus, in the present embodiment, based on acceleration signals in threeaxis directions measured by the acceleration 2.5 measuring section 110worn on the chest of a human body, the maximum value (P) of a verticalacceleration signal for one cycle (one footstep) at the time of exerciseand the extreme value interval (W) are obtained, as described above. Theextreme value interval (W) indicates a period of time between twoextreme values which are closest to each other and equal to or smallerthan a predetermined threshold before and after the time point of themaximum value in a composite acceleration signal generated fromacceleration signals in two or more axis directions for one cycle.

When the extreme value interval is obtained, a foot landing period iscalculated by using the formula (Equation (2)) in which these featureamounts (P and W) are each multiplied by a predetermined coefficient andthen added together.

On the other hand, when the extreme value interval is not obtained, afoot landing period is calculated by using the formula (Equation (4)) inwhich the maximum value (P) of the acceleration signal in the verticaldirection is multiplied by a predetermined coefficient.

A correlation between a foot landing period calculated (estimated) asdescribed above and a foot landing period (actual foot landing period)calculated based on ground reaction force is represented as in FIG. 11.

Here, a correlation distribution between estimated foot landing periodsand actual fool landing periods of 360 samples of twelve different testsubjects is shown, as with the case described above.

From verification of this correlation distribution shown in FIG. 11, thecorrelation therebetween is confirmed to be extremely high, and acoefficient of correlation of 0.964 is obtained.

That is, according to the present embodiment, a foot landing period canbe accurately estimated based on acceleration signals measured at thechest.

In the present embodiment, the chest device 100 independently collectssensor data (acceleration signals) while exercising, and analyzes acalculated foot landing period and various exercise information. Then,when judged that the user US is in a specific state (such as an abnormalstate), the chest device 100 provides exercise support information fornotifying the user US of this state on a substantially real-time basis.

Therefore, only by wearing the exercise support device (chest device100) having a simple structure, the user US can recognize change,abnormality, and the like of a foot landing period and various exerciseinformation on a substantially real-time basis while exercising, andquickly reflect them to improve the current exercise status.

In the present embodiment, the notifying section 150 notifies the userUS of judgment results of analysis processing based on sensor dataobtained while exercising on a substantially real-time basis. However,the present invention is not limited thereto.

That is, the chest device 100 of the present embodiment may furtherinclude an interface section for transferring various data to anexternal information processing device (such as a personal computer, asmartphone, or a tablet terminal not shown in the drawings).

In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which a foot landingperiod and various exercise information calculated based on sensor dataobtained while exercising and judgment results of analysis processingtherefor are transferred to the information processing device via theinterface section after the end of the exercise, and then displayed on adisplay section or the like of the information processing device asnumerical value data, a graph or the like.

As a result, change tendencies of a foot landing period and variousexercise information and the like can be visually provided to the userUS. Therefore, the user US can intuitively grasp his or her own exercisestatus and effectively reflect them in future exercises.

Note that the interface section included in the chest device 100 will bedescribed in detail in a third embodiment.

Also, in addition to the structure shown in FIG. 2, the chest device 100of the present embodiment may have a structure including a heart ratemeasuring section which obtains heart rate data (biological information)of the user US while exercising and a GPS (Global Positioning System)reception circuit which obtains a current position or the like(geographic information) of the user US by using a GPS.

The biological information and the geographic information obtained bythe heart rate measuring section and the GPS reception circuit are usedwhen, for example, a state of the user US having abnormal exercise loadis judged by the judging section 126 of the computation processingcircuit 120 or association with a calculated Coot landing period andvarious exercise information (such as a fatigued state, the way ofrunning, a moving speed, and an energy consumption amount) is analyzed.

As a result, the degree of exercise load which changes a foot landingperiod and various exercise information can be analyzed.

Second Embodiment

Next, an exercise support device and an exercise support methodaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention are described.

In the above-described first embodiment, acceleration signals in threeaxis directions obtained by the acceleration measuring section 110 areused as they are so as to perform the landing period estimationprocessing.

In the second embodiment, effects of the tilt of the upper body wherethe chest device 100 is worn and the like are corrected for accelerationsignals in three axis directions obtained by the acceleration measuringsection 110.

(Exercise Support Device)

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing the exercise supportdevice according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Notethat sections equivalent to those of the above-described firstembodiment are provided with the same reference numerals anddescriptions thereof are simplified.

The exercise support device according to the second embodiment has thesame structure as that of the chest device 100 of the first embodimentshown in FIG. 2 except that an angular velocity measuring section 170and an axis correcting section 128 have been added therein as shown inFIG. 12.

The angular velocity measuring section 170 measures change in a motiondirection (angular velocity) while the user is exercising (runningexercise).

In the present embodiment, the angular velocity measuring section 170,which has a triaxial angular velocity sensor, detects an angularvelocity component occurring in a rotating direction of each of threeaxes orthogonal to one another shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B and outputsthe component as an angular velocity signal (angular velocity data).

The angular velocity signals in the rotating directions of therespective axes obtained by the angular velocity measuring section 170are stored in a predetermined storage area of the storage section 130 inassociation with time data, and used in processing for correcting theaxes of acceleration signals in the computation processing circuit 120(axis correcting section 128).

The axis correcting section 128 is provided in the computationprocessing circuit 120. This axis correcting section 128 estimates agravity direction from angular velocities measured by the angularvelocity measuring section 170, and corrects the values of accelerationsignals by rotating each axis of the acceleration signals so that theaxis direction of the acceleration signal in the vertical directionmeasured by the acceleration measuring section 110 coincides with thegravity direction.

The acceleration signals in the respective axis directions corrected bythe axis correcting section 128 are stored in a predetermined storagearea of the storage section 130, and used when the maximum value (P) ofthe acceleration signal in the vertical direction and the extreme valueinterval (W) in the composite acceleration signal are obtained in theprocessing for estimating a foot landing period in the signal processingsection 124 described above.

Note that the acceleration measuring section 110; the control section122, the signal processing section 124, and the judging section 126 ofthe computation processing circuit 120; the storage section 130; theoperation switch 140; the notifying section 150; and the operating powersupply 160 have structures equivalent to those of the above-describedfirst embodiment, and therefore are not described herein.

(Exercise Support Method)

Next, the exercise support method for the exercise support deviceaccording to the present embodiment is described.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example of the exercise support method tobe performed for the exercise support device according to the presentembodiment.

Note that description of procedures equivalent to those of theabove-described first embodiment is simplified herein.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an example of processing for correcting theaxes of acceleration signals, which is applied in the exercise supportmethod according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a signal waveform diagram of an example of accelerationsignals in three axis directions corrected by the processing forcorrecting the axes of acceleration signals according to the presentembodiment.

In the exercise support method according to the present embodiment, theuser US first turns the chest device 100 on to activate it (Step S201),as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13.

Next, the acceleration measuring section 110 and the angular velocitymeasuring section 170 of the chest device 100 starts a sensingoperation, whereby acceleration signals and angular velocity signals (inthe drawing, collectively referred to as “sensor data”) while the useris exercising (running exercise) are collected, and stored as needed ina predetermined storage area of the storage section 130 in associationwith each other (Step S202).

Next, based on the collected acceleration signals and the angularvelocity signals, the axis correcting section 128 of the computationprocessing circuit 120 performs processing in accordance with apredetermined algorithm program, and thereby performs processing forcorrecting the axes of the acceleration signals as follows (Step S203).

That is, in a motion sensor for detecting the exercise status of a humanbody, such as the acceleration measuring section 110 and the angularvelocity measuring section 170 worn on the upper body (in particular,trunk) of a human body, a difference occurs between the gravitydirection and the vertical direction of the sensor due to the tilt ofthe upper body or the like.

Since this difference in the axis direction is changed with time, thedifference in the axis direction varying with time is required to becorrected based on measured values of acceleration and angular velocity.

Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the axis correcting section 128first obtains acceleration signals and angular velocity signals for eachclock time from the collected acceleration signals and angular velocitysignals (Step S211), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14.

Next, the axis correcting section 128 estimates a gravity direction foreach clock time from the angular velocity signals obtained, at Step S211(Step S212).

Then, the axis correcting section 128 corrects the values of theacceleration signals in the respective axis directions by rotating eachaxis of the acceleration signals such that the gravity directionestimated at Step S212 coincides with the axis direction of theacceleration signal in the vertical direction (Step S213).

Specifically, when acceleration signals for a plurality of cycles areobtained while the user US is running at a constant speed and averaged,if the vertical direction of the sensor and the gravity directioncoincide with each other, the average value of the acceleration signalsin the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction is 0.

However, since gravity acceleration is added to the acceleration in thelateral and longitudinal directions due to the tilt of the body in therunning motion, the above-described average value is not 0 in practice.

Thus, as an axis correction method, the axis correcting section 128finds a tilt angle so that the average value of these axes is 0 (StepS212).

Then, the axis correcting section 128 calculates and applies a rotationmatrix to the acceleration in each direction (Step S213) so as tocorrect the axes.

The acceleration signals in the three axis directions after the axiscorrection are represented, for example, as in FIG. 15.

Compared with the acceleration signals in the three axis directionsbefore axis correction (raw data) shown in FIG. 6, the values of theacceleration have been changed in all of the axis directions. Inparticular, the acceleration signals in the lateral direction and thelongitudinal direction have been significantly affected by thecorrection.

Note that the method for correcting the axes of the acceleration signalsare not limited to the above method.

For example, the axis correction can be performed by estimating thegravity direction by calculating a time average of the accelerationsignals.

Next, returning to the flowchart of FIG. 13, the signal processingsection 124 performs landing period estimation processing includingprocessing for obtaining a maximum value of vertical acceleration,processing for obtaining an extreme value interval, and landing periodcalculation processing as in the case of the above-described firstembodiment (Step S204), based on the acceleration signals in the threeaxis directions corrected in the axis correction processing at StepS203.

As a result, the effect such as the tilt of the body in the runningmotion is inhibited (eliminated) and a foot landing period where anactual foot landing period has been reflected can be calculated(estimated) more accurately.

Next, the judging section 126 performs various analysis processing onthe foot landing period calculated in the landing period estimationprocessing (Step S204), generates a notification signal based on thesejudgment results, and outputs it to the notifying section 150 (StepS205).

Then, based on the notification signal, the notifying section 150generates predetermined vibration information and sound information, andthereby notifies the user US of exercise support information (StepS206).

As a result, the user US can unfailingly recognize the change andabnormality of the foot landing period and various exercise informationtactually and aurally while exercising.

Next, the control section 122 judges whether to end the series ofprocessing described above. When a judgment is made not to end theprocessing, the control section 122 returns to Step S202 and repeatedlyperforms the series of processing of the exercise support method (StepsS202 to S206). When a judgment is made to end the processing, thecontrol section 122 ends the exercise support method.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even when the upper bodyof the user while exercising is tilted, an effect such as the tilt ofthe body can be inhibited (eliminated) based on sensor data(acceleration signals and angular velocity signals) measured at thechest, and a foot landing period where an actual foot landing period hasbeen reflected can be calculated (estimated) more accurately.

That is, only by wearing the exercise support device having a simplestructure, the user US can accurately grasp the change, abnormality, andthe like of foot landing periods and various exercise information whileexercising on a substantially real-time basis, and can quickly reflectthem to improve the current exercise status.

In the present embodiment, angular velocity signals obtained by theangular velocity measuring section 170 are used for the correction ofthe axes of acceleration signals. However, the obtained angular velocitysignals may be used for the following analysis in the judging section126.

That is, in the above description of the first embodiment, the methodhas been described in which one cycle (one footstep) in cyclic footmovements while exercising is cut out based on an acceleration signal ina vertical direction. In this method, it is impossible to judge whethera motion for one footstep corresponds to a signal waveform related to amotion of swinging the right leg forward or to a signal waveform relatedto a motion of swinging the left leg forward.

In order to solve this problem, the polarity of angular velocityoccurring on an axis in a vertical direction (gravity direction) in apredetermined period including timing at which the whole body weight ison one of the left and right feet is detected, and a direction in whichthe body while exercising is being rotated is judged. As a result, it ispossible to judge whether the signal waveform of an acceleration signalrepresents a signal waveform related to a motion of swinging the rightleg forward or represents a signal waveform related to a motion ofswinging the left leg forward.

As a result of this configuration, by obtaining a foot landing periodand various exercise information after associating an accelerationsignal for one cycle cut out in the processing for obtaining a maximumvalue of vertical acceleration and the processing for obtaining anextreme value interval described above with a left or right leg motionjudged by the left/right leg motion judgment processing described above,it is possible to judge the quality of the left-right balance and theexercise form (running form) of the user US while exercising.

Third Embodiment

Next, an exercise support device and an exercise support methodaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention are described.

In the above-described first and second embodiments, the chest device100 (single device) worn on the body independently estimates a footlanding period based on sensor data of the user US obtained whileexercising, analyzes the change, abnormality, and the like of the footlanding period and various exercise information, and notifies the userUS of exercise support information on a real-time basis when a specificstate occurs. In the third embodiment, in addition to the chest device100, a separate notifying device (separate device) that is worn on thebody is provided, and results of judgment regarding the change,abnormality, and the like of a foot landing period and various exerciseinformation are provided via this notifying device on a real-time basis.

(Exercise Support Device)

FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B are schematic diagrams of the exercise supportdevice according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Here, FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram showing a state where the exercisesupport device according to the present embodiment has been worn on ahuman body.

FIG. 16B is an external view of a structural example of the notifyingdevice to be applied to the exercise support device according to thepresent embodiment.

FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are functional block diagrams each showing astructural example of a chest device to be applied to the exercise,support device according to the present embodiment.

Here, FIG. 17A is a functional block diagram showing a structuralexample of the chest device according to the present embodiment, andFIG. 17B is a functional block diagram showing another structuralexample of the chest device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example ofthe notifying device to be applied to the exercise support deviceaccording to the present embodiment.

Note that sections equivalent to those of the above-described firstembodiment are provided with the same reference numerals anddescriptions thereof are simplified.

The exercise support device according to the third embodiment includes,for example, the chest device 100 that is worn on the chest of the userUS, and a wristwatch-type or wristband-type notifying device(hereinafter referred to as a “wrist device” for convenience ofexplanation) 200 that is worn on a wrist (upper arm) or the like, asshown in FIG. 16A.

The chest device 100 has an outer appearance equivalent to that of theabove-described first or second embodiment.

The wrist device 200 mainly includes, for example, a device body 201that notifies the user US of at least the change, abnormality, and thelike of a foot landing period and exercise information and a beltsection 202 that is wound around a wrist of the user US so that thedevice body 201 is worn on the user US, as shown in FIG. 16B.

The chest device 100 (device body 101) has the same structure as thoseof the first and second embodiments (refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 12) exceptthat the notifying section 150 has been excluded and an interfacesection (in the drawing, represented as “I/F section”) 180 has beenprovided therein, as shown in FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B.

Note that the chest device 100 may have a structure in which the I/Fsection 180 is provided in addition to the sections included in thefirst and second embodiments (refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 12).

The acceleration measuring section 110, the computation processingcircuit 120, the storage section 130, the operation switch 140, theoperating power supply 160, and the angular velocity measuring section170 have structures equivalent to those of the above-described first orsecond embodiment, and therefore are not described herein.

The I/F section 180 functions as at least a communication interface whena notification signal generated in accordance with judgment results ofanalysis processing regarding a foot landing period and various exerciseinformation performed by the judging section 126 of the computationprocessing circuit 120 is transmitted to the wrist device 200.

In addition to the notification signal, the I/F section 180 may transmitto the wrist device 200 a foot landing period itself calculated by thesignal processing section 124, various exercise information, andanalysis data and judgment results generated in analysis processing inthe judging section 126 and stored in the storage section 130.

As a method for transferring data, information, and the like between thechest device 100 and the wrist device 200 via the I/F section 180,various wireless communication methods such as Bluetooth (registeredtrademark) or WiFi (wireless fidelity (registered trademark)), andvarious wired communication methods via a communication cable such as aUSB (Universal Serial Bus) cable can be adopted.

In the present embodiment, the control section 122 of the computationprocessing circuit 120 performs processing in accordance with apredetermined control program, and thereby controls a data transferoperation in the I/F section 180 in addition to various operationsdescribed in the above-described first or second embodiment.

Specifically, the wrist device 200 mainly includes, for example, acomputation processing circuit 220, a storage section 230, an operationswitch 240, a notifying section 250, an operating power supply 260, andan I/F section 280, as shown in FIG. 18.

The computation processing circuit 220, which is a computationprocessing device such as a CPU or MPU including a timing function,performs processing in accordance with the predetermined controlprogram, and thereby controls an operation in each section, such as anotifying operation in the notifying section 250 described below and adata transfer operation in the I/F section 280, so as to achieve apredetermined function.

The storage section 230, which has a non-volatile memory, stores atleast a notification signal transmitted from the chest device 100 in apredetermined storage area in association with time data.

In addition to this notification signal, the storage section 230 maystore, in a predetermined storage area, a foot landing period andvarious exercise information transmitted from the chest device 100, andanalysis data and judgment results generated in analysis processingtherefor in association with time data.

Also, the storage section 230 may store a control program to be executedin the above-described computation processing circuit 220.

Note that a non-volatile memory portion constituting the storage section230 may be partially or entirely a removable storage medium such as amemory card so as to be removable from the wrist device 200.

The operation switch 240 may be a push-button-type switch providedprotruding from a side surface of the device body 201 as shown in FIG.16B, or may be a touch-panel-type switch provided on the front surfaceside (visual field side) of a display section 256 of the notifyingsection 250 described below.

The operation switch 240 is used for various input operations, such asoperation control when notifying exercise support information based onjudgment results of analysis processing performed in the chest device100, and settings of items to be displayed on the display section 256.

The notifying section (information providing section) 250 includes, forexample, a vibrating section 252, an acoustic section 254, and thedisplay section 256, as shown in FIG. 18.

The vibrating section 252 and the acoustic section 254, which havefunctions equivalent to those of the notifying section 150 of the chestdevice 100 described in the above-described first or second embodiment,generate predetermined vibration information and sound information basedon at least a notification signal transmitted from the chest device 100,and thereby tactually and aurally notify the user US of exercise supportinformation.

Here, the exercise support information provided from the vibratingsection 252 and the acoustic section 254 may be provided in conjunctionwith the display of the display section 256.

The display section 256, which has a display panel, for example, aliquid-crystal-type or a light-emitting-element-type, that displayspredetermined image information and character information, or emitslight of light-emitting information such as a predeterminedlight-emission color or light-emission pattern based on at least anotification signal transmitted from the chest device 100, so that theuser US is visually notified of exercise support information.

This display section 262 may display a foot landing period transmittedfrom the chest device and analysis data and judgment results generatedin each analysis processing as they are as numerical value data or asgraphs.

In addition, the display section 256 may display various informationsuch as current time, running time, pitch, and lap time.

Note that the notifying section 250 may have a structure in which atleast one of the vibrating section 252, the acoustic section 254, andthe display section 256 has been provided.

The operating power supply 260 supplies driving electric power to eachsection of the wrist device 200 (device body 201).

As the operating power supply 260, a known primary battery or secondarybattery, or a power supply an by energy harvest technology or the likecan be applied, as with the operating power switch 160 of theabove-described chest device 100.

The interface section 280 functions as at least a communicationinterface when a notification signal transmitted from the chest device100 is received.

In addition to the notification signal, the interface section 280 mayreceive a foot landing period and various exercise informationtransmitted from the chest device 100, and their analysis data andjudgment results generated in analysis processing.

(Exercise Support Method)

Next, the exercise support method for the exercise support deviceaccording to the present embodiment is described.

Here, the exercise support method when the chest device 100 having thestructure shown in FIG. 17A is adopted is described. When the exercisesupport device has the structure shown in FIG. 17B, a substantiallyequivalent exercise support method is performed by using anaxis-corrected acceleration signal.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of an example of the exercise support method tobe performed for the exercise support device according to the presentembodiment. Here, procedures equivalent to those of the above-describedfirst or second embodiment are simplified.

In the exercise support method according to the present embodiment, theuser US first turns on the chest device 100 and the wrist device 200 toactivate them (Step S301), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 19. As aresult, an operation clock is synchronized between the chest device 100and the wrist device 200.

Then, the chest device 100 starts a sensing operation in theacceleration measuring section 110, whereby sensor data (at least theacceleration signals) of the user US while exercising (while running) iscollected, and stored as needed in a predetermined storage area of thestorage section 130 (Step S302).

Next, as with the above-described first embodiment, the signalprocessing section 124 performs landing period estimation processingincluding processing for obtaining a maximum value of verticalacceleration, processing for obtaining an extreme value interval, andlanding period calculation processing, based on the collected sensordata (Step S303).

As a result, an accurate foot landing period where the actual footlanding period has been reflected is calculated (estimated).

Next, the judging section 126 performs various analysis processingregarding the foot landing period calculated in the landing periodestimation processing (Step S303) (Step S304).

Subsequently, the control section 122 generates a notification signalbased on these analysis results, and transmits this notification signalas needed from the chest device 100 to the wrist device 200 via the I/Fsection 180 by, for example, a wireless communication method (StepS305).

Then, based on the notification signal transmitted from the chest device100, the wrist device 200 generates predetermined vibration information,sound information, and display information from the notifying section250 while exercising, and thereby notifies the user of exercise supportinformation (Step S306).

As a result, the change, abnormality, and the like of the foot landingperiod and various exercise information can be reliably recognized bythe user US tactually, aurally, and visually.

Next, the control section 122 judges whether to end the above-describedseries of processing. When judged not to end the processing, the controlsection 122 returns to Step S302 and repeatedly performs the series ofprocessing of the exercise support method (Steps S302 to S306). Whenjudged to end the processing, the control section 122 ends the exercisesupport method.

As described above, in the present embodiment, based on sensor dataobtained while exercising by the chest device 100 worn on the chest ofthe user US, an accurate foot landing period where an actual footlanding period has been reflected is calculated (estimated), and anotification signal generated based on judgment results of analysisprocessing regarding the foot landing period and various exerciseinformation is transmitted to the wrist device 200 on a wrist as needed.

Then, exercise support information based on the notification signalreceived by the wrist device 200 is provided to the user US on asubstantially real-time basis.

Therefore, by the exercise support information provided from the wristdevice 200 worn on the wrist, the user US can grasp the change,abnormality, and the like of the foot landing period and variousexercise information while exercising on a substantially real-time basisand quickly correct the current exercise status.

In the present embodiment, a notification signal generated in accordancewith judgment results of analysis processing regarding a foot landingperiod calculated based on sensor data obtained by the chest device 100while exercising is transmitted to the wrist device 200 as needed, andnotified to the user US as exercise support information on asubstantially real-time basis. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto.

That is, in the exercise support device of the present embodiment, aconfiguration may be adopted in which a foot landing period itself andvarious exercise information calculated in the chest device 100 andtheir analysis data and judgment results are transmitted to the wristdevice 200 as needed and displayed on the display section 256 of thewrist device 200 as numerical value data, graphs, or the like.

As a result of this configuration, the change, abnormality, and the likeof a foot landing period and various exercise information can bevisually provided to the user US while exercising on a substantiallyreal-time basis. Therefore, the user US can accurately grasp his or herown exercise status and quickly reflect it to improve the currentexercise status.

Also, in the above descriptions of the present embodiment, the wristdevice 200 that is worn on a wrist of the user US has been shown as anexample of a notifying device that provides predetermined exercisesupport information to the user US based on a notification signaltransmitted from the chest device 100. However the present invention isnot limited thereto.

That is, any notifying device is applicable to the present embodiment aslong as it can provide exercise support information through any humansense, such as eyesight, touch, or hearing.

Accordingly, devices of various forms, such as an earphone type orearpiece type that is worn on an ear, a necklace type that is worn onthe neck, and a sports-glasses type shaped in eyeglasses may be adoptedas a notifying device. Also, this device may be included in a smartphoneand worn on an upper arm.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, an exercise support device and exercise support method accordingto a fourth embodiment of the present invention are described.

In the above-described first to third embodiments, a foot landing periodis estimated based on sensor data of the user US obtained by the chestdevice 100 while exercising, the change, abnormality, and the like ofthe foot landing period and various exercise information are analyzed,and a notification signal according to the judgment results isgenerated.

In the fourth embodiment, the sensor data obtained by the chest device100 is transferred to an external information processing device(separate device). Then, in this external information processing device,a foot landing period is estimated, the change, abnormality, and thelike of the foot landing period and various exercise information areanalyzed, and exercise support information according to the judgmentresult is notified to the user US.

(Exercise Support Device)

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram of the exercise support device accordingto the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of aninformation processing device to be applied to the exercise supportdevice according to the present embodiment,

FIG. 22 is a functional block diagram showing a structural example of anetwork server to be applied to the exercise support device according tothe present embodiment.

Here, sections equivalent to those of the above-described first to thirdembodiments are provided with the same or equivalent reference numerals,and descriptions therefor are simplified.

The exercise support device according to the fourth embodiment includes,for example, the chest device 100, an information processing device 300,a network 400, a network server 500, and a user terminal 700, as shownin FIG. 20.

Here, the chest device 100 has the same structure as that of the thirdembodiment except that it has a function for storing sensor dataobtained while exercising in the storage section 130 as needed and afunction for transferring data to and from the information processingdevice 300 outside the chest device 100.

That is, the chest device 100 does not have the function described inthe above-described first to third embodiments which is required forestimating a foot landing period of the user US based on sensor dataobtained while exercising, analyzing the change, abnormality, and thelike of the foot landing period and various exercise information, andgenerating a notification signal according to the judgment results.

The information processing device 300 is an electronic device capable oftransferring various data to and from at least the chest device 100 bythe above-described wireless or wired communication method or via astorage medium such as a memory card.

This information processing device 300 has a function for connecting tothe network 400 and a web browser function as described below.

As the information processing device 300, for example, a general-purposedevice such as a notebook-type or desktop-type personal computer 301, asmartphone 302, or a tablet terminal 303, or a dedicated device as anexercise support device (omitted in the drawing) is adopted as shown inFIG. 20.

In the present embodiment, the information processing device 300 can beapplied as the user terminal 700 described below.

Specifically, the information processing device 300 mainly includes, forexample, a computation processing circuit 320, a storage section 330, aninput operating section 340, a display section 350, an operating powersupply 360, and an I/F section 380, as shown in FIG. 21.

The computation processing circuit 320 is a computation processingdevice such as a CPU or MPU including a timing function and, byperforming processing in accordance with a predetermined controlprogram, controls an operation in each section, such as an operation ofdisplaying various information on the display section 350 and a datatransfer operation in the interface section 380.

The storage section 330 temporarily stores sensor data (at least anacceleration signal) transferred from the chest device 100 in apredetermined storage area.

In a configuration where the information processing device 300 isadopted as the user terminal 700 for viewing a foot landing period ofthe user US calculated in the network server 500 and judgment results ofthe foot landing period and various exercise information acquired byanalysis processing, the storage section 330 stores analysis informationreceived via the network 400 in a predetermined storage area.

Note that the storage section 330 may be partially or entirely aremovable storage medium so as to be removable from the informationprocessing device 300, as in the case of the above-described chestdevice 100 and wrist device 200.

The input operating section 340 is an input device such as a keyboard, amouse, a touchpad, or a touch panel provided to the personal computer301, the smartphone 302, the tablet terminal 303, or the like.

This input operating section 340 is used to select an icon or a menudisplayed on the display section 350 or to indicate a point on a screendisplay, whereby a function corresponding to the icon, the menu, or thepoint is performed.

The display section 350 has a display panel of, for example, aliquid-crystal-type or a light-emitting-element-type, and displays acommunication status or a transfer status when at least theabove-described sensor data received from the chest device 100 istransferred to the network server 500 via the network 400 describedbelow.

In the configuration where the information processing device 300 isadopted as the user terminal 700, the display section (informationproviding section) 350 displays the above-described sensor data, a footlanding period, various exercise information, their analysis data, andjudgment results as numerical value data, graphs, or the like.

The operating power supply 360 supplies driving electric power to eachsection of the information processing device 300.

In a portable electronic device (mobile device) such as the smartphone302 or the tablet terminal 303, a secondary battery such as alithium-ion battery is adopted as the operating power supply 360.

In the notebook-type personal computer 301 or the like, a secondarybattery or a commercial power supply is applied.

In a desktop-type personal computer, a commercial power supply isapplied.

The interface section 380 functions as an interface when sensor datatransmitted from the chest device 100 is received.

The interface section 380 has a function for connecting to the network400 such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network), and functions asan interface when sensor data (represented as “transfer data” in thedrawing) and analysis information are transmitted to and received fromthe network server 500.

The network 400 is a computer network where sensor data (transfer data)and analysis information can be transmitted and received between theabove-described information processing device 300 and the network server500.

Here, the network 400 may be a publicly-usable network such as theInternet, or a network that is limitedly usable by a specific group suchas a business enterprise, an organization specific to an area, or aneducational organization.

The network server 500 is connected to the information processing device300 via the above-described network 400.

This network server 500 is an application server having at least afunction for estimating a foot landing period of the user US, analyzingthe change, abnormality, and the like of the foot landing period andvarious exercise information, and generating a notification signal inaccordance with the judgment results, based on sensor data obtainedwhile exercising and transferred from the information processing device300, as described in the first to third embodiments.

Specifically, the network server 500 mainly includes, for example, acomputation processing circuit 520, a storage section 530, an inputoperating section 540, a display section 550, an operating power supply560, an I/F section 580, and a database 600, as shown in FIG. 22.

The input operating section 540, the display section 550, and theoperating power supply 560 have functions equivalent to those of theinput operating section 340, the display section 350, and the operatingpower supply 360 of the above-described information processing device300, respectively, and therefore are not described herein.

The database 600 may be incorporated in the network server 500, or maybe connected externally to the network server 500 or directly to thenetwork 400.

The computation processing circuit 520 and the storage section 530 havefunctions equivalent to those of the computation processing circuit 120and the storage section 130 described in the above-described first tothird embodiments.

That is, the computation processing circuit 520, which is a computationprocessing device having a timing function, performs processing inaccordance with a predetermined control program, and thereby controls anoperation in each section, such as an operation of storing and readingsensor data (transfer data), analysis information, and the like in andfrom the storage section 530 and the database 600, an operation ofdisplaying various information on the display section 550, and a datatransfer operation in the interface section 580.

By performing processing in accordance with a predetermined algorithmprogram, the computation processing circuit 520 performs processing forestimating a foot landing period of the user US and analyzing thechange, abnormality, and the like of the foot landing period and variousexercise information, based on sensor data (transfer data) received viathe interface section 580, as described in the first to thirdembodiments.

The analysis data and the judgment results generated in this analysisprocessing are stored in, for example, a predetermined storage area ofthe database 600.

Subsequently, by the user US operating the user terminal 700 to accessthe network server 500, the computation processing circuit 520accordingly reads out the sensor data and various exercise informationand their analysis data and judgment results from the database 600 inresponse to the request from the user US, and generates wave displaydata so that they are displayed by a web browser provided to the userterminal 700 in a display format using numerical values, graphs, or thelike.

Then, the web display data is transmitted as analysis information to theuser terminal 700 via the network 400.

The storage section 530 temporarily stores various data that are usedwhen processing is performed in the above-described computationprocessing circuit 520 in accordance with a predetermined controlprogram or algorithm program or data that are generated when processingis performed in accordance with the program.

The interface section 580 functions as an interface when sensor datatransferred from the above-described information processing device 300is received or when afoot landing period and various exerciseinformation calculated in the network server 500, and analysisinformation including their analysis data and judgment results aretransmitted to the user terminal 700.

The user terminal 700 is an electronic device having a structureequivalent to that of the above-described information processing device300 (refer to FIG. 21)

By accessing the network server 500, the user terminal 700 receives, viathe network 400, web display data generated in the network server 500and displays the web display data by the web browser.

As a result, a foot landing period and various exercise informationcalculated based on sensor data obtained while exercising and theiranalysis data and judgment results are displayed on the display sectionin a form of numerical value data, graphs, or the like.

Note that, as the user terminal 700, the information processing device300 used for transferring sensor data to the network server 500 may beapplied as it is, or an electronic device having a network connectionfunction different from the information processing device 300 may beapplied.

(Exercise Support Method)

Next, the exercise support method for the exercise support deviceaccording to the present embodiment is described.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of an example of the exercise support method tobe performed for the exercise support device according to the presentembodiment.

Here, procedures equivalent to those of the above-described first tothird embodiments are simplified.

In the exercise support method according to the present embodiment, theuser US first turns on the chest device 100 worn on the body to activateit (Step S401), as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 23.

Next, simultaneously with the start of the user's exercise, or before orafter the start of the user's exercise, the chest device 100 starts asensing operation (Step S402). As a result, sensor data (at least anacceleration signal) of the user US while exercising is collected andstored in a predetermined storage area of the storage section 130 (StepS403).

This collection of sensor data continues until the user US ends thesensing operation in the chest device 100 simultaneously with the end ofthe exercise or before or after the end of the exercise (Step S404).

Then, after the end of the user's exercise, the sensor data stored inthe storage section 130 of the chest device 100 is transferred to theinformation processing device 300 by a wireless communication method ora wired communication method or via a memory card or the like, andfurther transferred by the information processing device 300 to thenetwork server 500 via the network 400 (Step S405).

The sensor data (transfer data) transferred to the network server 500 isstored in a predetermined storage area of the storage section 530 or thedatabase 600.

Next, in the network server 500, the computation processing circuit 520performs processing for estimating a foot landing period of the user US,analyzing the change, abnormality, and the like of the foot landingperiod and various exercise information, and generating a notificationsignal in accordance with the judgment results, based on the sensor datastored in the storage section 530, as with the above-described first tothird embodiments (Steps S406 and S407).

The calculated foot landing period and various exercise information, andtheir analysis data and judgment results are stored in a predeterminedstorage area of the database 600.

Next, the user US operates the information processing device 300 or theuser terminal 700 to access the network server 500 via the network 400so as to perform an operation for requesting the display of arbitraryanalysis information.

As a result, in the network server 500, the computation processingcircuit 520 reads out the foot landing period, various exerciseinformation, and their analysis data and judgment results stored in thedatabase 600, and generates web display data of a predetermined displayformat in accordance with the request.

The generated web display data is transmitted as analysis informationfrom the interface section 580 to the information processing device 300or the user terminal 700 via the network 400.

Then, the analysis information transmitted to the information processingdevice 300 or the user terminal 700 is displayed on the display section350 by a web browser in a form of numerical value data, graphs, or thelike (Step S408).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the chest device 100 wornon the chest of the user US collects sensor data while exercising, andthe collected sensor data is transferred to the network server 500 bythe information processing device 300 via the network 400 after the endof the exercise.

Then, the network server 500 calculates a foot landing period of theuser US as described above and analyzes the change, abnormality, and thelike of the foot landing period and various exercise information.

Then, by the user US operating the information processing device 300 orthe user terminal 700 to access the network server 500, the sensor data,the foot landing period, the various exercise information, theiranalysis data and judgment result, and the like are transmitted asanalysis information from the network server 500, and displayed on thedisplay section 350 of the information processing device 300 or the userterminal 700.

As a result of this configuration, in the present embodiment, only bywearing the exercise support device (chest device 100) having a simplestructure, the user US can intuitively and visually grasp the change,abnormality, and the like of a foot landing period and various exerciseinformation, and therefore can effectively reflect them in futureexercises.

Also, in the present embodiment, the chest device 100 is only requiredto have a function for collecting and storing sensor data whileexercising, and the information processing device 300 is only requiredto have a function for transferring sensor data to the network server500 and a function for displaying analysis information by a web browser.

Therefore, the exercise support device according to the presentembodiment can be structured easily and inexpensively.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the network server 500 calculates afoot landing period of the user US and analyzes change tendencies of thefoot landing period and various exercise information.

As a result of this configuration, by an algorithm program regarding thecalculation of a foot landing period and an algorithm program regardingthe analysis of a foot landing period and various exercise informationbeing updated as needed in the network server 500, latest methods can bealways performed for the calculation processing and the analysisprocessing, whereby the user US can precisely grasp his or her ownexercise status.

In the present embodiment, sensor data (at least an acceleration signal)obtained by the chest device 100 is transferred by the informationprocessing device 300 to the network server 500 via the network 400 andthe network server 500 calculates a foot landing period of the user USas described above and analyses the change, abnormality, and the like ofthe foot landing period and various exercise information. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 20, a configuration may be adopted in which theinformation processing device 300 provided outside the chest device 100(for example, the notebook-type or desktop-type personal computer 304)calculates a foot landing period as described above and analyze the footlanding period and various exercise information.

In this configuration, the information processing device 300 has afunction for calculating a foot landing period and analyzing the footlanding period, various exercise information, and the like by performingprocessing according to a predetermined algorithm program in thecomputation processing circuit 320 shown in FIG. 21, and is not requiredto have a function for connecting to the network 400.

As a result of this configuration, even when the information processingdevice 300 is in an environment where connection to the network 400 isimpossible (or difficult), the processing for calculating a foot landingperiod and the processing for analyzing the foot landing period andvarious exercise information can be favorably performed, and theanalysis data and judgment results of the foot landing period and thevarious exercise information can be displayed on the display section 350as numerical value data, graphs, or the like.

Accordingly, change tendencies of the foot landing period and thevarious exercise information can be visually provided to the user US,whereby the user US can intuitively grasp his or her own exercise statusand effectively reflect them in future exercises.

Also, in each of the above-described embodiments, the chest device 100including the acceleration measuring section 110 and the angularvelocity measuring section 170 is worn on the chest. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto.

The present invention may be any type of device as long as it can obtainat least acceleration signals in three axis direction while exercising(running). In addition, it may be worn on another part of the body, suchas the upper body including the hip or neck, or, more preferably, thebody trunk except the four limbs. According to verification by theinventor, by the present invention being worn on the body trunk, a footlanding period can be accurately calculated (estimated) with the methodsaccording to the above-described embodiments.

Moreover, in each of the above-described embodiments, running exercisehas been exemplarily described as an exercise to which the presentinvention is applied. However, the present invention is not limitedthereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to variousexercises where cyclic motions such as walking are performed.

While the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiments, it is intended that the invention be not limitedby any of the details of the description therein but includes all theembodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise support device comprising: anacceleration measuring section which obtains acceleration signals inthree axis directions including a vertical direction, a longitudinaldirection, and a lateral direction corresponding to a motion of a bodyof a user performing exercise of cyclically moving feet; a verticalacceleration maximum value obtaining section which obtains a firstmaximum value within a period of one cycle of a foot movement of theuser in an acceleration signal in the vertical direction obtained by theacceleration measuring section; a signal processing section whichsearches for a first change point related to foot landing and takeoffmotions of the user in a composite acceleration signal obtained bycombining acceleration signals in at least two of the three axisdirections, in a forward direction of a time point of a second maximumvalue of the composite acceleration signal, and searches for a secondchange point related to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user inthe composite acceleration signal, in a backward direction of the timepoint of the second maximum value, within the period of one cycle; and alanding period calculating section which obtains a period of timebetween the first change point and the second change point as a changepoint interval, when the first change point and the second change pointare detected by search in the signal processing section, and calculatesa foot landing period of the user while exercising based on the firstmaximum value of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction andthe change point interval.
 2. The exercise support device according toclaim 1, wherein the landing period calculating section calculates thefoot landing period by an equation T=a×P+b×W+c×P×W where the footlanding period is T, the first maximum value is P, the change pointinterval is W, a and b are positive constants, and c is a negativeconstant.
 3. The exercise support device according to claim 1, whereinthe landing period calculating section calculates the foot landingperiod based on the first maximum value of the acceleration signal inthe vertical direction, when at least one of the first change point andthe second change point is not detected by the signal processingsection.
 4. The exercise support device according to claim 3, whereinthe landing period calculating section calculates the foot landingperiod by an equation of foot landing period T=d× (1/P) where the footlanding period is T, the first maximum value is P, and d is a positiveconstant.
 5. The exercise support device according to claim 1, whereinthe acceleration signals in the two axis directions for generating thecomposite acceleration signal are the acceleration signal in thevertical direction and an acceleration signal in the longitudinaldirection.
 6. The exercise support device according to claim 1, whereinthe signal processing section searches for a minimum value equal to orsmaller than a predetermined threshold value in the forward directionand the backward direction of the time point of the second maximum valueof the composite acceleration signal, and obtains, when at least oneminimum value is found in each of the forward direction and the backwarddirection of the time point of the second maximum value, a first minimumvalue of found minimum values which is positioned closest to timeprogress to the second maximum value in the forward direction of thesecond maximum value as the first change point, and a second minimumvalue which is positioned closest to time progress to the second maximumvalue in the backward direction of the second maximum value as thesecond change point, and wherein the landing period calculating sectionobtains a period of time between the first minimum value and the secondminimum value as the change point interval.
 7. The exercise supportdevice according to claim 1, further comprising: an axis correctingsection which corrects values of the acceleration signals of each axisby rotating each axis of the acceleration signals such that theacceleration signal in the vertical direction obtained by theacceleration measuring section coincides with a gravity direction,wherein the vertical acceleration maximum value obtaining sectionobtains the first maximum value of the acceleration signal in thevertical direction based on the acceleration signals corrected by theaxis correcting section, and wherein the signal processing sectionsearches for the first change point and the second change point based onthe acceleration signals corrected by the axis correcting section. 8.The exercise support device according to claim 7, further comprising: anangular velocity measuring section which obtains angular velocitysignals in rotating directions of three axes of the user whileexercising, wherein the axis correcting section estimates the gravitydirection based on the angular velocity signals obtained by the angularvelocity measuring section and corrects the values of the accelerationsignals.
 9. The exercise support device according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a judging section which compares the foot landing periodcalculated by the landing period calculating section with apredetermined reference value, and generates a notification signal inaccordance with a comparison result; and an information providingsection which provides the user with predetermined exercise supportinformation based on the notification signal.
 10. The exercise supportdevice according to claim 9, wherein the acceleration measuring section,the storage section, the vertical acceleration maximum value obtainingsection, the signal processing section, the landing period calculatingsection, the judging section, and the information providing section aredirectly or indirectly connected to a network, wherein the verticalacceleration maximum value obtaining section, the signal processingsection, and the landing period calculating section obtain the firstmaximum value of the acceleration signal in the vertical direction,search for the first change point and the second change point of thecomposite acceleration signal, and calculate the foot landing period,respectively, based on the acceleration signals received via thenetwork, and wherein the information providing section provides the userwith the exercise support information based on the notification signalin accordance with at least a result of judgment by the judging sectionreceived via the network.
 11. The exercise support device according toclaim 1, further comprising: a storage section which stores theacceleration signals obtained by the acceleration measuring section asneeded, wherein the vertical acceleration maximum value obtainingsection, the signal processing section, and the landing periodcalculating section obtain the first maximum value of the accelerationsignal in the vertical direction, search for the first change point andthe second change point, and calculate the foot landing period,respectively, based on the acceleration signals stored in the storagesection after end of the exercise.
 12. An exercise support methodcomprising: a step of obtaining acceleration signals in three axisdirections including a vertical direction, a longitudinal direction, anda lateral direction corresponding to a motion of a body of a userperforming exercise of cyclically moving feet; a step of obtaining afirst maximum value within a period of one cycle of a foot movement ofthe user in an acceleration signal in the vertical direction; a step ofsearching for a first change point related to foot landing and takeoffmotions of the user in a composite acceleration signal obtained bycombining acceleration signals in at least two of the three axisdirections, in a forward direction of a time point of a second maximumvalue of the composite acceleration signal, and searching for a secondchange point related to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user inthe composite acceleration signal, in a backward direction of the timepoint of the second maximum value, within the period of one cycle; and astep of obtaining a period of time between the first change point andthe second change point as a change point interval, when the firstchange point and the second change point are detected in the step ofsearching for the first change point and the second change point, andcalculating a foot landing period of the user while exercising based onthe first maximum value of the acceleration signal in the verticaldirection and the change point interval.
 13. The exercise support methodaccording to claim 12, wherein the foot landing period in the step ofcalculating the foot landing period is calculated by an equationT=a×P+b×W+c×P×W where the foot landing period is T, the first maximumvalue is P, the change point interval is W, a and b are positiveconstants, and c is a negative constant.
 14. The exercise support methodaccording to claim 12, further comprising: a step of calculating thefoot landing period based on the first maximum value of the accelerationsignal in the vertical direction, when at least one of the first changepoint and the second change point is not detected in the step ofsearching for the first change point and the second change point. 15.The exercise support method according to claim 14, wherein the footlanding period in the step of calculating the foot landing period iscalculated by an equation of foot landing period T=d×(1/P) where thefoot landing period is T, the first maximum value is P, and d is apositive constant.
 16. The exercise support method according to claim12, wherein the step of searching for the first change point and thesecond change point includes a step of searching for a minimum valueequal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value in the forwarddirection and the backward direction of the time point of the secondmaximum value of the composite acceleration signal, and a step ofobtaining, when at least one minimum value is found in each of theforward direction and the backward direction of the time point of thesecond maximum value, a first minimum value of found minimum valueswhich is positioned closest to time progress to the second maximum valuein the forward direction of the second maximum value as the first changepoint, and a second minimum value which is positioned closest to timeprogress to the second maximum value in the backward direction of thesecond maximum value as the second change point, and wherein the step ofcalculating the foot landing period includes a step of obtaining aperiod of time between the first minimum value and the second minimumvalue as the change point interval.
 17. The exercise support methodaccording to claim 12, further comprising: a step of comparing the footlanding period calculated in the step of calculating the foot landingperiod with a predetermined reference value, generating a notificationsignal in accordance with a comparison result, and providing the userwith predetermined exercise support information based on thenotification signal.
 18. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumhaving stored thereon an exercise support program that is executable bya computer, the program being executable by the computer to performfunctions comprising: processing for obtaining acceleration signals inthree axis directions including a vertical direction, a longitudinaldirection, and a lateral direction corresponding to a motion of a bodyof a user performing exercise of cyclically moving feet; processing forobtaining a first maximum value within a period of one cycle of a footmovement of the user in an acceleration signal in the verticaldirection; processing for searching for a first change point related tofoot landing and takeoff motions of the user in a composite accelerationsignal obtained by combining acceleration signals in at least two of thethree axis directions, in a forward direction of a time point of asecond maximum value of the composite acceleration signal, and a secondchange point related to foot landing and takeoff motions of the user inthe composite acceleration signal, in a backward direction of the timepoint of the second maximum value, within the period of one cycle; andprocessing for obtaining a period of time between the first change pointand the second change point as a change point interval, when the firstchange point and the second change point are detected in the processingfor searching for the first change point and the second change point,and calculating a foot landing period of the user while exercising basedon the first maximum value of the acceleration signal in the verticaldirection and the change point interval.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the footlanding period is calculated based on the first maximum value of theacceleration signal in the vertical direction, when at least one of thefirst change point and the second change point is not detected in theprocessing for searching for the first change point and the secondchange point.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 18, further comprising: processing for comparing thefoot landing period calculated in the processing for calculating thefoot landing period with a predetermined reference value, generating anotification signal in accordance with a comparison result, andproviding the user with predetermined exercise support information basedon the notification signal.